Barcrest made a name for itself thanks to the Rainbow Riches slot series. These Celtic tales impressed me from the beginning with their high RTP and classic yet exciting gameplay. Rainbow Riches Drops of Gold takes the original concept up a notch, with 50 paylines in the base game and up to 200 in the bonus round.

To increase the number of lines, you’ll have to pay for it. There are 3 big bet options available, and each of them allows you to benefit from more ways to win. As a medium volatile slot, wins are varied. There are 2 types of wilds and a bonus round where you can land the largest wins. The slot has a very classic interface that can pass for an old-school game. It’s more than that, though, with certain additions to the straightforward math model that can provide top wins in all stages. An endless stream of wild pots can drop on the reels as a ray of sunshine that allows the rainbow to shine.

If you’re thinking that it’s yet another Rainbow Riches slot, you’re wrong. The slot features Celtic symbols across the reels and has a nice tune that will put you in the right mood. Read my Rainbow Riches Drops of Gold slot review below and see why it’s one of the best entries in the long-running series.

Most Rainbow Riches real money slots look alike, and Drops of Gold is not that different, which doesn’t make it any less appealing. The vintage look and feel is accompanied by an animated green meadow in the background, which fits the theme like a glove. Visually, it’s not a groundbreaking slot, but it does alright. The magical sound effects and tranquil soundtrack perfectly accompany the graphics and animations.

In layout terms, it’s easy to play the slot on any device. You can set your bet, spin the reels on the right side, and access the guide and paytable from the bar beneath the reels.

The first thing you need to do is set a bet. You can choose from 10c to $500 per spin. Hit the spin button to begin or set the autoplay up to 100 automatic spins if you prefer. The math model is straightforward, so you need 3 or more matching symbols for a win. Right above the reels, you’ll see a rainbow that stretches back and has silver and gold pots that can drop to the reels. Both are wilds, so they can link wins and improve them. Landing the bonus symbol on the 5^th reel will trigger the release of all silver and gold pots in the rainbow drop zone on the reels below. This is the eponymous Drops of Gold feature.

If you play with a regular bet, you get 50 paylines to win across. You can choose to boost the slot’s winning potential with one of the 3 big bets. Pay 2x for a double height bonus symbol on reel 5, 5x for the same symbol on the 5^th reel and some low-paying symbols eliminated from the grid, or 10x for all of that plus 100 paylines in the base game and up to 200 lines in free spins.

The big bet is also known as the premium play feature. When you pay for it, it will take you on a mini slot with 3 reels and 1 paylines. Match 3 symbols for a win. You can win cash prizes or get access to the bonus round this way, with the features you paid for active in all stages. You can choose to stop the big bet at any time since it can be costly.

If you decide to play with a regular bet, you’ll have to trigger the bonus round in the traditional way from the base game. You need at least 3 bonus symbols to trigger the bonus game. For this combination, you receive 8 free spins. Trigger the bonus with 4 or 5 scatters for 12 or 16 extra spins.

The bonus round plays just like the base game. You can trigger the Drops of Gold feature at any point. You can also retrigger the bonus round by landing 3 scatters once again.

The original Rainbow Riches slot is not my cup of tea. However, Drops of Gold adds a few cool features, including the eponymous one that can drop a slew of wilds onto the reels. This was my lifeline more than a few times, saving losing spins or some low-paying spins from going to waste.

I had to pay for the big bet feature to head to the bonus round. I played around with 5x and 10x bets to get there, and it worked much faster than I could hope. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to retrigger the bonus round or win something more. I eventually returned to my regular bet and couldn’t manage to land major prizes. The slot paid decent rewards thanks to the Drops of Gold feature. 

When it comes to the big bet option, I suggest using it sparingly since it can cost a lot.

Rainbow Riches Drops of Gold’s RTP is set to 94%, which is OK for a medium volatile slot. It’s important to mention that the slot’s RTP will shoot up to 97.75% if you use the most expensive big bet option. This also raises the maximum projected win to 250,000 credits.

Rainbow Riches uses the original slot’s basics and complements them with a cool Drops of Gold feature. It also adds the big bet feature into the mix. Think of it as a bonus buy feature but with 3 tiers and extra features for your extra bets. The highest level increases the RTP and winning potential, so this feature may be worth your while.

If you’re looking for an alternative to play at the best online slot casino, we can honestly recommend the original Rainbow Riches slot. Any of its sequels and prequels will also feature familiar symbols and gameplay features.